Visual notification appliances are often used within buildings in conjunction with audio warning alarms so that the hearing impaired can be alerted to emergency conditions such as a fire. Typically, these appliances consist of flashing light strobes positioned throughout the building to provide a visual alarm indication, with a number of audible alarms and strobes often being connected in a network.
Often, failure of such strobe lights occurs without warning, so that repair or replacement is performed only after a failure has occurred. Unfortunately, such failure may occur during an emergency, when the strobe light should be functioning.
Because the expected life of a strobe is proportional to the cumulative number of cycles that it operates, it should be possible to predict failure so that repair or replacement can occur in a manner that minimizes the chances for light failure during an emergency. Currently, however, there is no practical method for tracking the number of times an individual strobe flashes after it has been installed. If such a method existed, it would be possible to predict when the strobe is approaching an end-of-life failure, which would enable proactive repair/replacement.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an automated system for monitoring the number of cycles to which a visual notification appliance has been subjected. The system should provide enable proactive service or replacement to occur prior to appliance failure. The system should also provide proof that the appliances had been operated for regular fire drills and system tests.